Life to Ad(D)Mire

Life to ad(d)mire Restoration of wetlands and mires in seven counties The project Life to ad(d)mire has during 2010-2015 restored 35 drained and overgrown wetlands and mires in seven counties. LIFE The restoration has meant that the ground water level has been LIFE is the EU's restored, which ensures a continuing favourable conservation environmental fund, from status for the plants and animals dependent on this environment. which projects are financed to protect and Cover photograph: County Administrative Boards, Peter Jonsson. manage the natural and environmental areas of Europe. The objective for the specific programmes Nature and Biological diversity and Published by Environmental programme The County Administrative Board of Jämtland is to contribute to the implementation of EU policies Compiled by and legislation for nature and biological diversity as well as Lisa Tenning promoting integration with other areas of policy. Text Lisa Tenning Natura 2000 Natura 2000 was created by Photo the EU to stop County Administrative Boards, Thomas Holmberg, Bergslagsbild AB the eradication of animals and plants and to prevent the disturbance of their Printing habitats. Taberg Media Group Every EU member country must protect its valuable nature Serial number through Natura 2000 and 2015:21 care for these areas in order to preserve or strengthen the natural world. Diary number More information about LIFE 511- 6968-2011 can be found at the websites of the Swedish Environmental The publication can be downloaded from our website Protection Agency and the EU. lansstyrelsen.se/jamtland

2 Table of Contents

Introduction �� 4

About the project �� 7

This is what we have done �� 8

What is wetland and what is a mire? �� 10

It is important that we restore wetlands �� 11

Hay making �� 13

Life in the mire �� 14

Filling the ditches �� 17

Building dams ��20

Inventories ��22

Follow-up ��24

3 Introduction

Many of the mires in our Financing We turned to the east country are in need of We wondered if there was At first we travelled to our restoration. The target of the anything we could do and neighbour country in the east. project during 2010-2015 was we heard about LIFE. This is Mires have been restored over to restore 35 of these areas the EU*s environmental fund a period of 20 years in Finland to a so-called favourable from which you can apply for and their experience would conservation status. co-financing for restoration of assist us in becoming time- and Natura 2000-areas and their cost-effective. During the mid 2000s a major species. review of mires and wetlands We have been in contact was started in Sweden's Natura Other co-financiers were with our Finnish colleagues 2000 areas. the participating county during the whole of the project administrative boards as well period and have met on several Those who worked on the as the Swedish Environmental occasions in both countries. inventory created a network to Protection Agency. discuss and share experiences The starting gun was of the theme. In 2008 the seven county administrative boards wrote fired A recurring discussion point an application and in 2010 the During the first year of the in the group was the drained project Life to ad(d)mire was project we talked to the people mires that were present in the started. who would be affected by the areas we visited. Most of the work. mires were drained and the hay The purpose of the meadows abandoned. Places We spoke to landowners and designated as Natura 2000 project neighbouring property owners, areas must according to the EU The work included filling the fish conservation areas, hunting represent the finest Europe has ditches so that the mires were clubs, colleagues at the seven to offer. no longer being drained and county administrative boards, opening up the hay meadows to affected municipalities and the light. 4 others. After this the first methods and progress in excavators drove onto the mires Sweden, Europe and the USA. and filled in the ditches, some of which had been dug more It is important to share than a hundred years before. experiences. Knowledge must be shared. The project received Knowledge is also the key to a lot of attention cost-effective progress. In this The project received both booklet, you can follow our national and international journey through the enormous Lisa Tenning, project manager attention work of restoring some of Sweden's most beautiful The project manager has given wetlands. lectures about the project

About the project

The county administrative bushes that would not Reporting to the EU normally grow there had boards that took part in The project has been reported established themselves. the project were Jämtland, to the European Commission Västernorrland, Dalarna, »» This has meant that every 18 months. Reports of Östergötland, Jönköping, golden plovers and ruffs how the project is keeping to Kronoberg and Skåne. regained 3,800 hectares the project plan approved by to rear their young. the European Commission at The project has restored more the start of the project have »» Seven fens* have been than 40,000 hectares of mires been sent to Brussels. cleared for mowing. and hay meadows in Sweden. Thanks to this project, The excavator drivers who were orchids will be flowering »» The budget was 6.8 commissioned to undertake the on a further 152 hectares million Euro. The work work were unaccustomed to of fens. included the following: this type of work. There had to »» The ground water level has »» Five bird-watching towers be close cooperation between been raised in 29 drained have been built for visitors the project and the contractors. mires by filling in the to experience the wonders ditches. of the wetlands. The excavator drivers knew what the excavators could do »» Excavators have been »» Nine areas have new and we knew what results we used to fill in several miles walkways in order for wanted. of ditches on these mires. visitors to gain access to the fields. »» Trees and bushes have We worked methodically and been removed from 31 »» Five wind shields have creatively together to find the drained mires. The mires been built. best solution for each of the were so dry that trees and mires.

* Fens are richer in species than other wetlands and are most usual in chalky grounds. 7 This is what we have done

Hay meadows and mires have Västernorrland Fjällmossen, Bredsjömossen, been restored to functioning County Kärnskogsmossen, living environments for birds, Bibergskärren, Trolleflod and fish, insects, plants and Five mires were restored to Rocks. people. their original condition by filling in the ditches and removing The ditches have been filled in vegetation such as birch, Jämtland County Fjällmossen, Bredsjömossen spruce and scrub. and Kärnskogsmossen. The Five mires were restored vegetation that appeared after in Jämtland - Tysjöarna, The areas in Västernorrland are the drying effect of the lowered Öjsjömyrarna, Stensundet, called Mossaträsk, Stensjöflon, water level has been removed Brötarna and Ånnsjön. Gideåbergsmyrarna, which resulted in the wetlands Sörlappmyran and Prästflon. being opened up. In all these areas, the ditches have been filled in order for the Dalarna County Hay-making has been ground water to rise to ground performed at Bibergskärren, level, so as to stop the mires Three areas were restored Trolleflod and Rocks. from becoming overgrown and in Dalarna – Haftahedarna, disappearing. Koppången and Blåbergsåsflyten. The ditches Jönköping County have been filled and the ground In the county of Jönköping, water has risen. old peat extraction areas at Anderstorp great mire and The areas that should be wet Store Mosse national park have are now restored. been restored to living wetland again. Östergötland County Seven mires have been The forest land drain at restored in Östergötland – Komosse has been filled in.

8 Kronoberg County Five areas in Kronoberg have been restored to their original condition, at Årshultsmyren, Horsnäsamossen, Hästasjömyren and Tängsjöfly.

Here too, the ditches have been filled and the vegetation that had grown due to the drying effect of the lower water level has been removed.

Skåne County Seven areas have been restored in Skåne – Djurholmamossen, Fjällmossen, The county Lya Ljunghed and Älemossen, administrative boards taking part Söderåsen, Traneröds mire, in the project Häckeberga-Skoggård, Åralövs Jämtland mire and Dagtorps mire. Västernorrland A railway embankment has also Dalarna been removed in Skåne in order Östergötland to improve the flow of the water Jönköping in the mire. Kronoberg Skåne

9 What is wetland and what is a mire?

Wetland is an area of land it squelches around your The dead plant material where, during a great part of feet as you walk on the land. remains, forming an ever-thicker the year, there is water under Cloudberries and cranberries layer of peat. or over the ground level, amongst others grow in mires. for example mires. Coastal Mires in Sweden meadows, fens and marsh Since the mire is constantly Approximately 15 percent of forests are included in the wet, it is also low in acid, Sweden’s land area is mire. expression wetlands. meaning dead plant materials Sweden has the world’s are not broken down in the sixth-largest area of peat land. A mire is a wet area of land same way as in other areas Boggy areas are found from where the water level is the such as forests, coastal tropical areas to the poles, in same as the ground level; meadows and hay meadows. approximately 175 countries.

10 It is important that we restore wetlands

A large number of plants ecosystem services such as to Frogs and salamanders swim in and animals, including many bind and store carbon, clean the ponds. If you are in the right threatened or disadvantaged water, serve as flood protection place at the right time, you can species, live on wetlands. and contribute towards see flowers in all the colours of Approximately a quarter of biological production. the rainbow stretching over the the wetland areas have been open landscape. drained and destroyed in Many wetlands have Sweden since the beginning archaeological remains and Moose and deer graze of the 19th century. cultural history value that can peacefully in the extensive be damaged when they are grazing land. Most of the remaining wetlands exploited or overgrown. are more or less affected by Insects thrive and become food drainage, nitrogen deposition or Plants and animals and people in rubber boots that they are no longer used for enjoy looking for berries. Birds nest in the mires during hay making or grazing. the summer. Bird watchers can

see migratory birds staying for This leads to overgrowth and a while to rest during their long makes for impaired conditions journey. for animals, plants and people.

Drained miregy areas have a lower ability to deliver important

Hay making

Seven abandoned hay meadows have been restored by the project.

These lush hay meadows are located in the counties of Östergötland, Jönköping, Västernorrland and Skåne.

The hay meadows became overgrown, as no hay making has been performed for many years and the fields have been abandoned. In these fields there is a great richness of species and many species are dependent on these small open spaces for their survival. Here you may find amongst others marsh helleborine, parnassia and fragrant orchids.

The restoration has been performed by removing vegetation and milling stumps and tussocks, and the tall grass that choked the ground has been cut with mowing machines. The fields have now been improved for coming years of mowing.

Mowing these areas will be done by the county administration boards after the project has ended.

13 orre Tetrao tetrix

ﬁ skgjuse Life in the mire Pandion haliaetus – a unique diversity of species

tofsvipa ängspiplärka Vanellus vanellus Anthus pratensis grönbena Tringa glareola

enkelbeckasin Gallinago gallinago tall Pinus sylvestris

trana Grus grus

älg Alces alces ljungpipare rödräv Pluvialis apricaria Vulpes vulpes svavelgul höfjäril Colias palaeno storspov myrﬂ ickslända Numenius arquata Coenagrion johanssoni myrpärlemorfjäril Boloria aquilonaris olivgrön guldbagge Protaetia cuprea starrmosaikslända violett blåvinge Aeshna juncea Plebejus optilete myrtrollslända Leucorrhinia dubia tuvull Eriophorum vaginatum pors Myrica gale

tranbär Vaccinium oxycoccos praktvitmossa snok rosling Sphagnum magellanicum vattenklöver Natrix natrix Andromeda polifolia Menyanthes trifoliata skvattram tuvsäv Rhododendron tomentosum rundsileshår kärrspindel kråkklöver Trichophorum cespitosum Dolomedes fi mbriatus Comarum palustre Drosera rotundifolia ©Produktion, text och gra sk form: NATURCENTRUM AB i Stenungsund.2011. Illustratör: Nils Forshed. AB i Stenungsund.2011. NATURCENTRUM sk form: text och gra ©Produktion, Shame on the trees, orre Tetrao tetrix said the bird and flew away fi skgjuse Pandion haliaetus Moors and other wetlands drying-out process becomes were left in peace by humans even faster. for a long time. But during When the trees grow, wading the latest 200 years many birds that nest in the wetlands wetlands have been drained or are frightened away. Birds are dug away. born with a fear of building The population of Sweden their nests to close to trees, grew during the 19th century since birds of prey might hide and more land was required there and scout for their eggs for growing food. One way and youngsters. was to lower lakes and drain We must therefore remove the mires. tofsvipa invading trees to ensure that ängspiplärka Vanellus vanellus Anthus pratensis During the 20th century, peat the wetland birds will thrive. grönbena Tringa glareola was dug up and used for It is not unusual for an animal shelters or as fuel for undrained mire to become heating. A lot happens when a gradually overgrown with trees enkelbeckasin mire is drained or dug away. Gallinago gallinago tall and scrub. Pinus sylvestris Water + Mires = This is a natural process. True Today however, this rate of growth is faster than is natural, When the earth dries out, the since the rain contains high sphagnum that continuously levels of nitrogen from various raises the hight of the mire emissions. The trees are trana dies. When the sphagnum Grus grus fertilised by the nitrogen. disappears, the fungi, lichens älg Alces alces and insects that normally live We have therefore felled trees ljungpipare rödräv Pluvialis apricaria there die Most often, the only in some places that are not Vulpes vulpes svavelgul höfjäril things left are heather, birch affected by ditches, but where Colias palaeno storspov and conifers. the overgrowth has been myrfl ickslända Numenius arquata Coenagrion johanssoni accelerated in an undesirable myrpärlemorfjäril When the plants thrive, the Boloria aquilonaris manner. olivgrön guldbagge birds and other animals that Protaetia cuprea starrmosaikslända violett blåvinge Aeshna juncea belong in the wetlands can Birds like black grouse and Plebejus optilete myrtrollslända golden plovers will benefit Leucorrhinia dubia return. tuvull Eriophorum vaginatum from these measures. pors Why does drainage frighten Myrica gale the wetland birds away? The tranbär problem is that when the field Vaccinium oxycoccos praktvitmossa snok dries, trees start to grow on rosling Sphagnum magellanicum vattenklöver Natrix natrix Andromeda polifolia Menyanthes trifoliata the mire. The trees suck the skvattram tuvsäv water from the ground and the Rhododendron tomentosum rundsileshår kärrspindel kråkklöver Trichophorum cespitosum Dolomedes fi mbriatus Comarum palustre Drosera rotundifolia ©Produktion, text och gra sk form: NATURCENTRUM AB i Stenungsund.2011. Illustratör: Nils Forshed. AB i Stenungsund.2011. NATURCENTRUM sk form: text och gra ©Produktion, 16 Filling the ditches

Excavators have been used Another common method was in all the different places to to use peat as the material for fill in the ditches. A common larger types of dams. method was to use tree trunks from the mire to build The method of completely filling so-called dams. the ditch or of leaving an open gap between the dams was The dams, made up of tree dependent on the condition of trunks in bundles, were placed the mire. in the drained mires to stop the water. The following pages will show some of the methods we used.

To the left: Excavator on a mat of trunks building a dam. 17 Different methods In other places, the mires The peat embankments had were overgrown with shrubs broken down in many places. The methods used to fill the and trees since the drains had Peat from the undisturbed mire ditches are different depending effectively dried the ground. was used instead. This was an on the circumstances at each The mires were cleared of operation that required careful site. vegetation before the filling in planning. of the ditches could start. Most Sometimes the ditches were often this was done during the far out in the mires, and Different approaches winter when the ground was the excavators were able to There are many alternative frozen. drive for long stretches over approaches to the work. One undisturbed mires without method was required if the peat Peat from the mire was used damaging the mire. Most often layer was shallow. If the mire to fill in the ditch. The peat that this was done by using logs was wet another method was was once dug up and left in so- that the excavator would drive required. called peat embankments was across and move along with it. used in preference. 1

18 2

3 Filling-in methods 1. When the structure of the mire was a mixture of firm ground and wet ground, embankments were built on the firm ground. This was done to capture the water in the wet areas. 2. Peat from the mire was used to fill in a ditch. The peat that was once dug up and left in so-called peat embankments was used in preference. 3. Sometimes the infill was strengthened using dams as extra security in the event of high water flow. These were sometimes made from timber, sometimes peat, dependant on the condition of the mire.

19 Eco-system services Building dams An eco-system service is a service where nature This is a description of one of the methods used to fill in a contributes free of charge. ditch. The pictures on the right show how it is done, step by The quality of life we enjoy today would be very expensive step. All the work was done before and after the birds were without these. Sometimes nesting. Thus ensuring the birds were not disturbed. they are even necessary for our survival. On occasions of heavy rainfall, 1. The excavator dug a hole 4. Fibre cloth was laid over water collects in the miregy at an angle to the ditch, the timber to insulate and areas and in this way stops deeper than the ditch reinforce it. floods - they are so-called buffer zones. itself. The width of the hole had to be 10-15 meters 5. Finally, we topped with peat Mires clean our rainwater so that the ground water in each direction from the in order for the dam not becomes clean and drinkable ditch. In total the hole was to show. We were careful without adding chemicals. approximately 30 meters to use plenty of peat so The water is also cleaned in length. The dams were that a mound was formed. by peat before flowing into built with approximately 150 During the first year this is the lakes and watercourses, giving good conditions for metres of space in between. very porous and airy. But fish, birds and water-borne as time passes, weather insects. 2. A fibre cloth was then and wind cause the mound The mires also store and placed in the bottom of to collapse. It melts in and bind carbon dioxide from the the hole to stop peat and becomes a natural part of air when the peat is formed, thereby reducing greenhouse fine-grained sediment being the mire. gases in the atmosphere. This pushed through the dam. helps to slow global warming. Within 5–10 years, the Carbon dioxide is a 3. Following this, timber from restoration is overgrown and greenhouse gas that affects the mire was used as filling invisible to the eye. our climate in a negative way, material. It was important to as it contributes to global warming. A healthy mire binds fill the hole completely up to more carbon dioxide than a ground level. rain forest.

20 1 3

2 4 5 Inventories

In order to decide where The bird inventories were The target for the restoration the restorations were to be carried out according to a was that the water level was carried out, the areas were national methodology from to rise to ground level in the made part of an inventory. the Environmental Protection mire but not outside the Natura It was important to know Agency. These inventories were 2000 boundary. exactly what the area looked made in all the areas. like before the measures This was precision work, which were put in place. Pipes were laid down to the we were forced to weigh up ground water inside and before the restoration was The inventories answered outside the areas, in order to carried out. amongst other things how measure the ground water level bird life was in the area, what during the restoration work. Water tests were even carried plants were growing in the out downstream of the mires mires, how the quality of the The inventory gave information in order to check that no water in surrounding streams about how the ground water unwanted material was released and lakes had been affected by level had benefited from the into lakes or watercourses. the ditches and how much the restoration work. ditches had lowered the ground water level.

Follow-up

A follow-up inventory was of years, the results of the mires and in the longer term completed in 2015 to see if inventory before and after blend into nature. The restored more mire-related plants had can be compared and meadows will continue to be started growing. Follow-up of improvements tracked. protected and kept open. all the inventories will be carried out continuously in all areas What happens when The county administrative by the county administrative boards that were part of boards even after the project the project comes to the project will share their has ended. an end? knowledge about effective mire When the project is ended restoration. When the same inventory is in 2015, the restored ditches followed up after a couple will grow together with the

The graph shows how the ground water level has moved over time. You can see that the ground water was stable during the whole of the restoration period. 24

”It is important to share experiences. Knowledge must be shared.”

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